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Essay #1
The Powell Scholars Program is focused on developing tomorrow's leaders. Holistic leadership
requires you to use your unique skills and talents, as well as to cultivate new strengths. Please
discuss your leadership potential in terms of your existing strengths, as well as identify
areas of growth that you wish to develop in college that will make you a successful
leader. (300-500 words)
As an individual constantly striving to do better, I believe that I would make a great fit as a Powell
Scholar. One of my most renowned strengths is the amount of determination I put into my work.
It has always been a factor of my success here at such a rigorous school, despite hitting
numerous challenges. My determination compels me to work harder to produce better results,
but more importantly to not be discouraged by poor results. It always helped me strive to learn
from my mistakes by constantly adapting to the situation at hand and just pushing through the
difficult times. Another strength I have is an ability to work well with others. In addition to
providing my own useful insight, I believe that it is important to incorporate the ideas of
everyone. Not only does this build important relationships and trust among each other, it calls for
a more inclusive and meaningful approach to solving problems. After all, numerous minds will
always have more value than one, allowing each other to see multiple perspectives and unique
personal experiences that will guide us to better solutions.
At the University of Pacific, I wish to put these strengths to use, but to also work on problem
areas. My biggest weakness is arguably my reluctance to take risks. Especially during unfamiliar
situations I’m not comfortable with, I rarely take initiative and tackle the problem head on. I know
that college will provide plenty of opportunities for me to do just that and develop my confidence
characteristic of a leader. Another area of focus I would focus on is my time management. I
easily get distracted and am prone to procrastination. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “Give me
six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” I want this quote
to be the basis of my new work philosophy: appropriately preparing for a task at hand to make
the actual work efficient. If I could maximize my time, that to me, would give me so much
leadership potential. Going to college with these skills and goals for areas of improvement
motivates me to become the best person I can be.